Please, Be My Alpha
by Jewell Trim
Summary: Arthur is a grieving alpha who recently lost his omega wife. He has two children that he is left to raise. Harry is an omega who is in need of an alpha.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I really liked this show when I discovered it, and of course with any show I like they get canceled. I hope you don't mind me writing in your fandom. This is an omegaverse story (As well as I know about that universe) So there is sex and stuff pertaining to that. If you don't like those kinds of things, you do not have to read my story. I'm a Houdini and Doyle shipper.**

Arthur Conan Doyle wasn't looking for anything but a night's entertainment to distract him from the emptiness he finds when he is at home. With his dear wife Touie gone, everything felt different. Food tasted bland, he couldn't bring himself to write, sleep was hard to find, and his relationship with his children became cold. So, when he was invited by his friend Adelaide Stratton, a fellow alpha, to an escape artist show, he accepted.

Doyle wasn't planning on finding the show interesting, but he figured it was better than wallowing in alcohol.

So, there he was, standing at the entrance of the theater room, dressed up and waiting for Ms. Stratton.

"Hello, Dr. Doyle." came a female voice behind him and he turned to see the shorter woman smiling up at him.

"Constable Stratton." he tipped his hat, respectfully.

"There's no need for that, I'm not on duty."

"True, but I can hardly say otherwise without you reminding me you are a constable." Doyle rose an eyebrow in humor.

She laughed and accepted the arm he offered as they ascended the stairs.

Once the tickets were handed over and they received show playbills, the pair walked into the main room to find their seats.

Doyle was pretty impressed that Stratton was able to secure seats that were close enough to the stage without being right under it. He sat down, crossing one long slender leg over the other and looked at his paper.

It appeared that the main act was to go last, a few other acts before it.

Someone by the name of Harry Houdini.

The name sounded familiar, but he didn't pay attention to the goings-on of late. The first skits were partly comical with some a little more impressive.

Doyle was finding it hard not to compare this to an indoor, expensive circus for the higher classes.

To his immense relief, the intermission finally arrived and he got out of his seat to stretch his legs. For some reason, he had been smelling an omega's upcoming heat for the first two acts and it was driving him up the wall. This was one of the things he hated about his second gender. Unlike other alphas, he had an incredible gift of smell that enabled him to detect things that no one else could. His vision was better and if he concentrated hard enough, he could hear further out than the average alpha. That was how he had based his Sherlock Holmes, with an incredible gift and deduction. Not to puff himself up, on the contrary, he hated it. Like now, he couldn't focus on anything but that smell. It had gotten so bad he had been trying to locate the one it belonged to.

So far all the participants in the show hadn't shown any signs of pre-heat scents being thrown off.

To add to things that were already driving him up the walls, he could begin to smell their excitement. It was so pungent that he looked to be grimacing the entire first part of the show.

Stepping outside, he went to get some fresh air, and rid himself of the scent that was affecting him so.

"Well, what do you think?" Stratton asked with a good-natured smile.

Doyle had been so focused on his escape that he had forgotten his companion.

"Sorry if I gave you the impression that I was fleeing... I just needed some air."

"Is my perfume too strong?" she asked, a slight blush of embarrassment.

"No, of course not. I was... I had caught the scent of someone's pre-heat."

"You could? Is it about to happen really soon? They shouldn't be out in public if that's the case." she frowned.

"No, they have a couple of days before it takes effect, it's just that...it's a very strong scent."

"Well, as long as the alpha doesn't go off fooling around with harmless omegas I'm fine."

"No, that is to say...it was an unbonded omega's pre-heat I smelled."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Stratton frowned in thought, "Is it someone in the crowd?"

"No, I already crossed everyone in there out. They're behind the curtains, or off to the side. A performer."

"I wonder if they know they shouldn't be out," Stratton said worriedly. "Unbonded omegas are more likely to be taken by the ones who catch their scent." She covered her mouth with her gloved hand, "Not to say that you would do such a thing, Dr. Doyle."

"It's fine. I wouldn't. After Touie died, I don't think I can be with another anytime soon." he said sadly. There was a long drawn out minute of silence before he recollected himself, " Forgive my lack of manners, how are you enjoying the show?"

"Quite well, I am extremely excited to see Houdini."

"You know him well?"

"No, never met him. I have a friend who has seen his show before and they said it was thrilling. They also said is very handsome."

Doyle chuckled at this," Well I guess we should not keep you waiting to see this Houdini's act and we should return to our seats.

They sat back down and Doyle wanted to groan when he caught the scent again.

How could they not be aware of their upcoming heat? It was definitely a lack of manners and to some, considered scandalous.

The curtains rose once more and the reconvened. These performers were more skilled, and Doyle found his attention once more on the show and not the omega's scent.

When it was announced that the final performance was about to begin, a short man came out, dressed in a bathrobe. He had a brilliant smile and his eyes twinkled his excitement as he looked over the crowd.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I hope you have enjoyed our show thus far. Very soon, I will be doing an act that is very dangerous, so don't attempt this at home." There was a brief moment while the people in the crowd chuckled at this, "I shall be chained and submerged in a tank of water, where I shall have to escape before I run out of oxygen." He gave a little bow and trotted over to get ready.

Doyle frowned, watching the young omega runoff. It was him! This American omega was blasting his pre-heat scent around for anyone to smell if they could. But no... It wasn't the omega's fault. Doyle just had a frustratingly excellent sense of smell.

He watched as the omega was chained to the top of the tank and then wrapped in chains around his entire body. He was only wearing a pair of swimming trunks now and he seemed to have on some eyeliner.

Everyone watched as he was lowered into the tank and then the curtain went down to begin the counting. Doyle sat with his arms crossed over his leg as he waited. The first minute passed and he could hear a few murmurs around him of people getting concerned. Once two minutes were up, the people's voice grew and there were more of them.

Doyle kept his focus on the scent of the omega, though it was harder to catch it, while submerged in water, he could catch the faintest smell of it. His hearing also allowed him to take some bit of comfort to know he wasn't dead. At three minutes people in the crowd began to stand up demanding to get the guy out of the tank. The four-minute mark hit and even the man in charge of breaking the glass seemed to be worried. Suddenly the curtain came back up and standing at the top was a wet omega grinning out at everyone.

The crowd cheered and clapped their hands, marveling at the whole spectacle. Doyle clapped his hands, though he watched the omega carefully. He trotted off stage, not as bouncy as before but with a slight limp. During the whole performance, nothing gave rise to Doyle that the man's life was in danger.

Stratton insisted on meeting Mr. Houdini after the performance to get an autograph. Doyle accompanied her, though not for the same reasons.

Houdini was now fully dressed, his hair still a little wet as he shook hands with fans and thanked them.

"What did you think, Dr. Doyle? Impressive, was it not?" asked Stratton as they stood in line.

"That a man can hold his breath for four minutes, yes. That is an accomplishment, though I could sense that he was in no real danger the entire time. A person who makes a living picking locks does raise my suspicion on what else he might feel led to use his talents on."

"Oh doctor, you will find this amusing. Last year when Houdini was here he was arrested by Merring, but before he could put him in a cell, Houdini had already gotten out of the handcuffs! I wish I was there to witness it."

Both Stratton and Doyle have been looked down upon. Stratton, because she was the only female constable in Scotland Yard, and an alpha no less, and Doyle because he was successful in selling his Sherlock Holmes stories that would occasionally poke fun at the police, not making them at all bright.

"It is a shame you missed it. To see the look on his face, it must've been funny."

"I was unfortunately downstairs at the time at my desk. It made the newspapers. Didn't you read it?"

Doyle tried to remember reading something like that in the papers. It did sound awfully familiar. That must've been how he recognized Houdini's name.

Soon, it was their turn and Stratton gave a huge smile as she shook hands with the performer. Doyle wanted to roll his eyes when the younger man placed a kiss on the constable's gloved hand.

"I hope you enjoyed my performance tonight," he said with his charm levels going up.

Doyle scrunched his nose at the increasing scent of the omega now in front of him. It was stronger, and he could tell that it would only be a matter of maybe a few hours before this unsuspecting omega would be going into heat. Doyle wondered if he could not tell that he was just now throwing out signals to constable Stratton as a possible mate for his heat.

Trying to think of something else, anything else, Doyle looked away, distracting himself with the poster that he had seen hanging outside. It was of Houdini, with big bright colors spelling his name.

"And you, sir? Did you enjoy it? Would you like me to sign your playbill?" asked the omega, his smile still showing.

Doyle, almost getting lost in his thoughts, turned his attention back to the present instead of trying to determine why the red and yellow in the poster was so eye-catching.

"I beg your pardon, what was the question again?" he asked.

The omega, for his credit, did not show offense of being ignored.

"Did you like the performance?"

"It was executed well I suppose. Though there might be some skeptics out there who might believe once the curtain went down that you were pulled back out. However, I couldn't hear anything such as that happening. To be able to hold one's breath that long is, however, a great talent."

Houdini's smile grew at this, "Thank you." he offered his hand to Doyle and the doctor took it with a little hesitance. A thought occurred to him that this might be a great opportunity to warn the omega if he was not already aware of his approaching heat. He leaned a little forward and whispered into the shorter man's ear.

"I would suggest that you return to your rooms soon. Your heat is starting in a couple of hours."

When Doyle moved away from Houdini, he saw that the omega's face was flushed with embarrassment.

"Forgive Dr. Doyle, he can sometimes be a little insensitive," Stratton said quickly.

"Am I? A warning is not insensitive." Doyle frowned, but then stuffed his hands in his pockets. He looked back down at the omega who had seemed to have recovered, "Well done tonight."

Turning to go, Doyle began making his way to the exit. The omega's scent was about to send his alpha's instincts into motion and he needed to get as far away as possible.

"Wait!" came a man's voice from behind.

Doyle stopped and with some regret when he saw that it was Houdini. He watched as the shorter man had to squeeze his way through the crowd, accepting congratulations and doing quick autographs.

When he finally made it to where he was standing in front of Doyle, he looked a little out of breath and in some discomfort. It made Doyle feel a little guilty in not meeting him halfway, but then he remembered he was trying to leave to avoid the attractive omega.

Where the hell did that come from? He hadn't looked at a single omega ever since his beloved Touie passed away three months ago. To think about such things was to throw shade on his dead wife, and he wouldn't have it!

Houdini flinched a little at the cold glare he received from the older alpha, and he looked away, trying to collect his thoughts.

"I... I uh...am a big fan of yours. I was wondering if I could get a signature on my copy of your latest book? Holmes is my absolute favorite."

Chancing a look, he lifted his eyes to see that the alpha was no longer glaring at him, but was looking at him with a level of indifference.

"The book will be out tomorrow and I'll be signing autographs from 10 to 2."

"Yes, but-" Houdini's face grew a little red and again his eyes looked away, "you already noticed that I'm about to begin my heat. I won't be able to leave my rooms for several days. Might I...would I be able to get that autograph at a later date?"

It finally occurred to Doyle that the limp he saw earlier when Houdini was leaving the stage, was his cramps beginning.

"You really ought to make your way to your rooms now. You don't have much longer it would seem."

"Must've been all the excitement from the performance." the omega said with a weak smile before he grabbed his side and winced.

Doyle felt his alpha instincts kick in and he quickly picked up the omega and carried him outside to the carriage that was waiting for him. He would have to apologize to Stratton later for leaving without saying goodbye. Luckily, the driver was a beta and could sense the urgency as Doyle told him the directions to the hotel where Houdini was staying at. After searching the omega's pockets, he had come across a key for the hotel to help give directions.

It seemed that they left just in time. The alphas that were present had begun to pick up on the scent and some had started to follow them outside.

Now in the close quarters of the carriage, Doyle still holding the omega, he heard soft moans.

"No worries, you are being taken home as we speak."

Every bump in the cobblestone road made Houdini whine in pain.

The ride was finally over when they pulled up to the hotel and Doyle again carried the omega inside. Some alphas that were staying in the hotel turned their heads in arousal at the omega's pheromones being sent out.

The elevator was thankfully empty, and Doyle rushed to open the hotel room, nearly dropping the key in his hurry.

Once inside with the door firmly shut and locked behind him, he took a deep breath and resumed his carrying position and took Houdini to his bed.

Laying him on top of the covers as gently as possible, Doyle stepped back and decided he should leave before he did something he would regret.

Houdini rolled over on his bed, tugging on his clothes that were uncomfortable now and hot.

Doyle, standing warily at the door, watched as the omega struggled to undress. He could see that the crotch part of the man's pants was already wet with slick already oozing out. After watching the omega fail to pull off his suit jacket for the fifth time, Doyle stepped up and helped him. First the jacket, then his embroidered double-breasted vest. Then Doyle tugged the shirt out from the omega's pants and the omega sighed in relief, dropping down on the bed. He shifted his body into position, waiting for Doyle to help him take off his trousers and pants.

Doyle was screaming internally, telling him he needed to run. To get the hell out of there while he still could.

"Please." came the omega's heavy voice.

No longer thinking and completely in alpha mode, Doyle undid Houdini's trousers, pulling them down quickly to his ankles and did the same for his soiled pants.

Houdini was breathing hard now, the cool air affecting him some. Rolling onto his stomach, he shucked his shoes off, so he could take the bottom half of his clothes off completely. Now naked and his butt up in the air, he waited for his alpha to take him.

Doyle's breathing was quick, and he ran his hands over the man's heated skin. Houdini's body twitched at the contact at first and then he rocked back, pushing his butt up against Doyle's crotch. Slick dripped from the omega's awaiting hole and Doyle was certain he was going to just take him. Pulling off his own jacket and vest, he undid his trousers and took out his hardened rod. He brushed it up against the omega's hole making Houdini whine in need, begging for him to take him.

"Please, I need your knot." Houdini pleaded. "Alpha!"

Doyle then took his alpha privileges and pushed himself inside of the young omega.

Houdini gave a low gasp and pushed back to fill himself even more. The alpha thrust inside of his omega encouraged to go harder by the need of his lover. When Doyle deposited his seed deep inside Houdini did Doyle finally unsheathe himself and pulled Houdini under the covers of his bed. Taking off the rest of his closed, Doyle laid with him, arms wrapped around his companion. Houdini was fast asleep, breathing even and his scent not as strong as before. Doyle closed his eyes and fell asleep to the sound of the other man's breathing.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Houdini woke up to the comfort of his own bed. His eyes took a moment to adjust, but when they did, he noticed two things. One, that he had the smell of an alpha on him, and two, that there was no alpha in the bedroom. Harry frowned and crawled out of bed. Though the activities of last night and his heat was still in effect, he needed to find his alpha.

This was the first time one of his partners would just up and leave during a heat, and he wasn't sure what to do.

Had he been an awful partner? Did his scent nauseate them and they decided they couldn't take any more of it?

Harry completed his search of his rooms with no sign of the alpha he had been with and he sat down on the couch which had been made with expensive materials. He didn't really care at the moment he could be ruining it, naked and with the evidence of the sex he had last night dried up on him. Though it was suddenly being covered up by a fresh wave of slick.

He curled up into a ball, arms around his legs, hating how his emotions were everywhere and he couldn't control them.

Last night had been glorious. Whoever his partner was, they had set the bar pretty high for the next heat he would have and his partner then.

Normally, Houdini would accept female alpha's invitation to spend the heat together. It was hard in a man's world to be a female alpha, just like it was for him to be a male omega with celebrity status.

A thought to last night had him recall a female alpha at his show. He had talked to her afterward. Maybe he had been with her. Scratching his head, messing up his already unruly curls, he remembered her companion. Dr. Authur Conan Doyle.

To have been able to finally meet one of the men he idolized and even perform in front of...

A sudden blush swept across his face when he remembered that Dr. Doyle had smelled his heat coming.

How embarrassing!

Houdini had thought he had a day or so before he had to worry about such things. No one even bothered to tell him that they could smell it either. Things could've gone really bad and his reputation ruined if he had gone into heat right there...

"Aw hell." he pushed his curls out of his face, now remembering cramping up in front of Doyle while talking. The man had carried him back to his place and...did they couple last night?

Houdini did his best to reconstruct the face of the person he was with, but he couldn't.

Groaning, he finally got up from the couch and saw the slick already forming a stain on the expensive furniture. He shuffled back to his room and crawled back into bed.

Would the alpha, whoever it was, return to him at all?

His hands fumbled for the poor substitute he used when he couldn't find a partner during his heats. For some reason, it hurt more than it usually did when he slid it into his wet hole. He ran his hand along his own shaft, trying to pleasure himself. Houdini did his best to try and recreate the scene from last night...anything from that time!

Tears ran down his cheeks as he could only cry for his alpha, needing them. Needing not just their knot to help him, but their presence, their scent.

A thought occurred to him that he had smelled the alpha on his second pillow and he pushed his face into it, breathing in the scent to remember.

"Alpha." he moaned.

Doyle sat at the author's table of the bookshop, signing copies of his latest book, 'The Great Boer War'. He did his best to smile as he did so, but it was generally a poor attempt. As time went by, signing to every Tom; Dick; and Harry, Doyle couldn't help think about the omega he had slept with the night before.

It had definitely been a mistake. But for some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about him. To leave the poor omega during his heat to fend for himself for the rest of the time was cruel. Doyle couldn't imagine having that done to himself or anyone he loved. The omega looked so vulnerable and was completely trusting him to take care of him, though they had just met.

Either Houdini was a fool, or way to trusting. Or...he really was desperate and was putting his freedom on the line, by not taking proper cautions.

It was for the best then that he left. He shouldn't go back either. Houdini was probably well-connected to be able to find a replacement.

The nagging feeling lasted until he was finished with the autographs and was able to leave. He walked outside of the bookshop, carrying an extra copy of his book with an autograph already written in it. Doyle didn't know why he was doing this, but he felt it was at least right to give Houdini the book. As a way of an apology.

Stepping off the elevator, he walked to Houdini's suite and knocked on the door.

He wasn't in any hurry, figuring the man might be indisposed.

Frowning, Doyle blinked a few times in confusion. Why the devil was he here outside of an omega's room. An omega he already knew was in heat, and that he had told himself that last night was just a one-time thing. The book could've been mailed or even dropped off at a later date, one where the omega wasn't grinding in his sheets or calling out to be knotted.

Doyle had to clear his throat to bring his thoughts back up from his groin.

The door opened and Houdini was on the other side looking in pain and need. Doyle had a sudden urge to step into the room and pull the young omega into his arms and hold him there, apologizing for leaving him and giving him ample attention.

Refraining from doing so with a lot of self-control, he held out the book he had been holding. Doyle refrained from scenting the omega who numbly accepted the gift.

"I figured since you can't leave at present, I could bring a copy over to you. I signed it already."

Houdini flipped to the back of the cover.

'Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.'

Arthur Conan Doyle.

"Thank you." Houdini murmured. "I really appreciate you doing this."

Doyle gave into his curiosity and allowed himself to smell the omega. His heat odors were mixed in with a sick smell that was awful to take in for very long and he covered his nose.

Houdini looked up at the sudden action and bit his bottom lip, "Sorry, I'm not at all fit for company at the moment."

"Do you not have someone with you?"

The omega shook his head, "It appears my scent was enough to make them leave before I woke up this morning. It seems to have grown worse since then."

"Don't you have someone you can call?"

"Would they even accept me? I was abandoned by someone already. I'm not sure I can deal with that a second time."

The omega looked ready to break down crying and was barely able to continue to stand.

Doyle gently pushed Houdini back into his room and stepped inside before closing the door behind him. There was another smell in the room. Opium, probably something to help Houdini's nerves. Doyle steered him to his bed and sat down on the edge before pulling the omega onto his lap. He would care about his clothes getting dirty later.

Houdini wrapped his arms around Doyle's neck, feeling a bit embarrassed for acting like a child, but grateful for some company. Inhaling the alpha's scent, he suddenly became rigid.

He knew this smell. It was all over his pillow. His breathing became shallow as he felt hot tears begin to fall.

"I'm sorry."

Houdini only listened, not trusting his voice yet.

"I shouldn't have left you. I really shouldn't have been here in the first place."

"Because you can't stand me?"

"No, that's not it at all. It's just...I'm not in the right place right now, and I don't think I ever will be. Even for just a heat coupling, I'd feel guilty for doing it, and I don't want to turn that anger on you."

Houdini pulled away a little to look at Doyle. He saw a sadness in the alpha's eyes and knew better than anyone how that felt like. After losing his mother three months back, his emotions were everywhere and he had moved out of the hotel he had been staying at with his mother.

"I understand," he said honestly. Houdini couldn't ask this man to give himself up just for his sake. To feel those feelings he'd been hiding from and would bring back bad memories.

Doyle shifted his position and moved the omega off of him. The omega looked a little worried he would leave. He pulled off his jacket and set it down on the chair by the writing desk.

"How about we get you under the covers?" Doyle said with a small smile.

Houdini released the breath he was holding and nodded, crawling up to the head of his bed and got underneath. The alpha had to take a moment to take off his shoes before climbing in after him.

Snuggling on the alpha's chest, Houdini closed his eyes with a content smile.

After a couple of hours, Doyle ordered for food to be brought up and he made sure the young omega ate and drank something.

With great resistance, he kept himself from touching Houdini in a sexual manner, though he doubted the omega would mind. Instead, he went about bathing him, running his fingers over his scalp and making Houdini emit some moans of pleasure.

Doyle laid on a couch, Houdini resting on top of him with the alpha's arms around his waist, still naked after his bath. They listened to the rain that began to fall.

Houdini felt his heat rise again and he felt the cramps kick in. He gave a low moan, twisting in his alpha's hold to find a more comfortable position.

The alpha rubbed the tight muscles in the omega's back and whispered soft words to him.

Harry really wanted Doyle to touch him other ways, but he couldn't do that to the alpha who had even bothered to come back and sit with him during his emotional break down to take care of him. Wiggling out of Doyle's hold, he shuffled into his room and crawled back into bed. Curling into a fetal position, he began to stroke himself, his mind shamelessly providing the doctor's face and mouth sucking on it. His thighs were wet and sticky from his slick and he moaned in want for the man just outside of his room.

Oh, how he wanted him. To feel his knot inside of him. Opening up his eyes, he could see Doyle standing right over him.

He had no right to ask. He had none...

"Please alpha." the words left his lips anyway.

Doyle leaned over, a hand near Houdini's head as he came down to connect their lips. They kissed, Houdini's lips hungrier for attention. a hand, slightly larger than Houdini's ran a hand over his chest and stomach, making the omega groan in pleasure. When the hand reached his entryway, Houdini was panting. The doctor's fingers slipped in easy with the omega's slick. Two fingers became three as they spread inside of him and then slipped out partially, the omega's hips moving in time with the alpha's fingers. When he felt the fingers hit his prostate, Houdini gasped at the wonderful pleasure.

The hand that had just pleasured him disappeared and the omega let out a whimper at the loss. He pulled the alpha back down for another kiss, this one less hurried. Houdini slipped his tongue into Doyle's mouth tasting him.

The great sensation of the alpha and him touching him lasted a little longer before Doyle separated from him.

"If you stay, I can have a maid wash your clothes for you." Houdini offered, hoping Doyle would accept.

The older man smiled and pulled off the rest of his clothes before joining the omega in bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I hope Doyle doesn't appear out of character, but if he does, it's only because he's a grieving widow right now and is lashing out. He just needs a hug.**

Morning came and Harry woke up again in a panic. Sitting up in bed, he looked around the room to again find the alpha gone.

Disappointed in letting himself believe the alpha cared enough to stay with him, he dropped back down on his pillow with a sigh.

A sudden noise in the other room had him get up once more though and he saw someone outside drinking tea.

Climbing out of bed, Harry made his way out of his room to find Doyle reading the paper with a cup of tea in one hand.

Leaning his head against the doorjamb, Houdini smiled. It was a perfect scene to wake up to, one he wouldn't mind seeing every day.

"You're awake," Doyle said, startling Houdini from his musings. "Tea?"

Not sure why he became suddenly shy, he stepped out and nodded to the offer. Doyle poured him a cup and handed it over to the omega. Houdini curled up next to the alpha on the couch, his legs tucked underneath him.

"I felt I should wait until you woke up before leaving for home," Doyle explained.

And just like that Houdini's blissful imaginings were gone.

"Will you be back tonight though?"

"I shall try. I'm meeting a friend for consulting and I haven't been to see my children these past few nights."

Harry felt guilty for his selfishness. He barely registered the kissed placed on his curls before Doyle stood up and collected his jacket and hat. When the door closed behind him, Houdini made his way to the window and looked down waiting to catch one more sight of the alpha as he climbed into the carriage to take him home.

Looking back at his suite, he saw that breakfast had been brought up. Picking at his food, he ate a bit of it while he read the newspaper.

Doyle gave a long yawn as he tried to focus his attention on the papers he was going over to help Constable Stratton identify the recent murder.

"You seem distracted of late." Stratton observed, "Did something happen? You left suddenly after the performance."

"I had to attend to something."

"Mr. Houdini went after you. Did you see him?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah he did. We talked for a bit about my book before he became indisposed."

Stratton frowned in confusion, "Indisposed? Do you mean that he was...oh. I hope he was able to make it home in time before anything terrible happened. An unbonded omega out and about is very dangerous."

"I made sure he made it home." Doyle nodded before going back to his work.

"And that was it?"

"What was it?" he looked back up at her.

"Well, by your strange behavior, I would assume something else also happened."

"Why do I find that a little unsettling to hear you want something to have happened?"

"I never said I did," Stratton said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, but you seem a little too eager to know if something did."

"So something did happen then. Since you haven't denied it."

"Well if I were to attempt in denying anything I hardly doubt you'd believe, therefore, I revert to silence on the matter."

"You're trying to confuse me."

"Well, it's obviously not important right now seeing how we have a murder to solve."

Adelaide nodded and they went back to work and searching letters from the deceased.

After spending a couple more hours going over love notes from the victim and then finding that the wife killed him after he found out about her other relationship with a woman. To their shock, her lover tried to take the blame, not wanting her omega lover who suffered through a loveless marriage to be sent away. She would be hung for her crimes, an omega killing her alpha was a high offense, but Doyle felt after reading the man's notes, he was a complete ass.

Not really satisfied with the ending, Doyle went home to have dinner with his children. They told him about school and the conversation was mostly lacking with him trying to force some topic to stick longer than a monosyllable.

When they went to bed, they didn't ask for a story, but just closed their eyes and rolled over.

How he missed Touie. She would've been able to comfort them and make them laugh.

Somehow that thought made him remember his promise to Houdini. Checking the clock on the mantel, he saw that there was still time. Slipping on his jacket, he left his house, telling the housekeeper he would be back in the morning.

Houdini spent the day getting out of his handcuffs for practice. When he heard a knock at the door he was currently tied to a chair. He tried to move towards the door but only succeeded in tipping the chair over and falling on his face.

"Houdini?" came the doctor's voice on the other side of the door.

"Just a minute!" Harry called, struggling to get out of his own trap.

Doyle waited about six minutes before the door finally opened to show an out of breath omega.

"Hi," he said with a grin.

"You exercising?" Doyle asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, that was earlier this morning." Houdini closed the door behind him. "I was just uh..." He saw the doctor looking at the ropes and chair still lying on the ground," rearranging furniture."

"So I see. Do you want this up?" he asked with one hand on the knocked over chair.

Houdini waved off the offer, "Naw, I want that there. You know, to get a different perspective of the room."

"Right." Doyle moved away and checked the room over. Nothing much had changed it would seem. The omega was more active tonight though and his scent was a lot more pleasant and not distressed.

"Shall I call up some tea?" Harry asked, moving to the phone to make the request.

"No thank you, I'm fine." Doyle looked at the food tray and noticed that it was still the breakfast tray from earlier. Some of the food was still there and looked to have been picked through. "Have you eaten today?"

"Sort of. I guess the food wasn't to my liking today." Harry shrugged.

"You do know you could've ordered something else then."

"True," Houdini saw the trap he just put himself in, but he wouldn't dare let himself get caught in it, 'however I ate that and didn't like it, I lost my appetite."

Doyle sat down in a chair, studying the interesting decor in the room, "You do know there are other reasons for loss of appetite besides it not 'being to your liking'. This sounds awfully similar to not eating because you're upset."

"What would I have to be upset about?" Harry challenged, going on the defensive.

"Being here alone for hours. Not having an alpha here while you're in your heat and they are neglecting you."

"You're hardly that special." Harry scoffed, "I can have any partner I want."

"Clearly you can't, but since you seem to be able to find a replacement for your final day of your heat, then I shall head on home." Doyle stood up and put his hat back on.

Harry, who had been standing with his back to Doyle with his arms crossed over his chest, suddenly turned around.

"Where are you going?"

"Home, like I said. You obviously don't need me here anymore."

Harry stumbled over the knocked over chair to stop the alpha from leaving.

"No, please don't go."

"Why? You said it yourself you can have any alpha."

"But it's my last day, and you're already here. It'd be a waste of a trip to just leave now." Harry gripped Doyle's upper arms, trying to stop him from getting any closer to the door.

"No, I don't mind going. Fresh air and all is good for you."

"But-" Harry lowered his head, "Fine, the truth is I don't want any other alpha. I want to spend my heat with you. Please, I was only being an ass because you saw right through me and I was ashamed."

Doyle's arms moved underneath him and they lifted Harry's head up by the chin.

Houdini stared up at the alpha before the older man's lips came to meet his own. Harry closed his eyes and felt the tickle of the man's whiskers and the taste of the man's mouth pressed against his.

Giving a moan, the omega pressed himself up against the alpha.

Their lips parted and Harry rested his head on Doyle's chest, "Stay with me?"

Harry found himself underneath the bigger man, panting hard and breathing out the alpha's name. He could feel the heat from the body against his own radiating and he moaned once more as he was impaled once more.

"Oh dear God!" he gasped, his head going back as his body trembled at the wonderful sensation.

Though it wasn't the alpha's knot, despite it was his own substitute device pleasuring him currently, Harry had never felt so good. It had to be the effect of the alpha's scent rubbing up against him. The musk and tobacco. He pushed his hips back, impaling himself further and gasped. The alpha's other hand was between his legs, satisfying his other hole. Lips ghosted over the bonding gland. When Harry felt a slight nip on his neck he bristled and lashed out, knocking Doyle away, clamping a hand over the spot protectively.

"What the devil were you trying to do? Bond with me?"

"Bon-like I'd ever!" Doyle's initial surprise turned into annoyance that he was being accused of almost rape or force claiming. "You really think I'm the kind of person to take just any omega?!"

The alpha shook his head, pulling himself out of the bed and getting dressed.

Harry was still wary but watching the older man put his clothes on, he began to panic.

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that! I don't want you to leave."

"Your actions and outburst say otherwise," Doyle said bitterly.

Houdini scrambled out of the bed, but the alpha was moving quicker and had a head start. The door to the suite was opened and the man was on the other side, door closed. Harry was breathing hard, trying to decide what he should do.

Biting his lower lip, he yanked the door open and ran after the alpha. He wasn't going to let the man go.

If Doyle hadn't known the omega before now, he would've been rendered speechless by the scandal of a naked omega running after him by the elevator.

"Doyle wait! Please, I'm sorry. Please can't we just talk about this."

Doyle was grateful that it was late and there was no one roaming the halls. He quickly took off his overcoat and wrapped the naked omega in it, buttoning it up.

"Really? You're doing this here, shouting in the hall naked, now," Doyle sighed as he took the upper arm of the smaller man and led him back into his room and closed the door behind them.

"Doc, just give me a chance to explain, alright?"

"Okay, you have the floor," Doyle replied, arms crossed over his chest.

Harry took a moment to catch his breath, "You must know how hard it is for an omega to make it this far in life. To have a career and fame without being bonded. There aren't that many of us out there, and I was afraid you'd... you know, take advantage of the fact that our coupling not being done under a contract of what is allowed during this time, might just take me. However, it was only instinct when I felt your mouth on that spot."

"Harry, I love my wife and I love my children. I can't replace her nor can I just replace my children's mother without thought of them."

"I know that-"

"This 'coupling' shouldn't have even happened. I already told you that it was a moment of weakness the first day, but out of honor, I stayed. That doesn't correlate that there is anything between us afterward. And since your time should be over by now, I think my time here is done." Doyle said coldly, turning on his heel and opening the door again, he paused before leaving, looking slightly over his shoulder, "I think it is best that we never see each other again."

Harry felt a knot twist in his stomach at the stabs of pain he was receiving before the alpha shut the door firmly behind him, cutting off all ties with him.

He actually collapsed to the floor, staring at the door with unshed tears. He wouldn't dare cry. The Great Houdini never cried. Okay, maybe he had in the past few days and was definitely about to cry now, but he wasn't going to give in.

Doyle may have been right with it being a rather sudden pairing, but he was wrong when he said that he only came back because of 'honor'. Yeah, Brits were all about the honor crap, but that wasn't what he felt when they kissed or when the man looked at him and held him. The alpha was distancing himself away, as well as Harry should want him to. He wasn't looking for a mate. He loved his freedom, being unclaimed...being alone.

After his mother died, he always felt alone. There was a hole in his life and there was nothing he could do to fill it. He had tried. Though opium was a dangerous habit, he used it to deal with his pain, but nothing could alleviate the pain of the heart... until he met Doyle. The alpha had sparked a need in the male omega, something he never thought about considering before.

Bonding. Having a mate. A family.

Harry found he wanted those things now, he was craving them, and he wanted them with the doctor.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry was determined to get back to his usual self the next day. He washed up, scrubbing away the wonderful musky scent of the alpha and bathed in neutral scents more accustomed for betas to use. Houdini wore his favorite suit and ate breakfast before heading to the door to leave. Just as he had pulled the door, he turned to look at the overcoat that belonged to Doyle. That and the man's book that he had given Houdini.

Steeling himself, he looked away and stepped out of his suite.

Today he was determined to do a performance, and though the rest of the people in the show were surprised by him making an appearance, they didn't object. Most were concerned when he suddenly disappeared without notifying them.

Harry winced, remembering that day.

"Apologies, it won't happen again. Just a slight distraction, but it's over now." he gave a cheerful grin as he went to find his assistant.

When he was sure he had been walking around in circles for five minutes trying to find her, he finally stopped to ask Howie. He was in charge of breaking the glass if there were any problems.

"You weren't here sir. She's gone on home to prepare for her heat. It should be coming in a week or so, and doesn't want to be away from her alpha."

Hearing talk of heats and alphas made Harry's stomach tighten. His body was already reminding him of its alpha and he hated it.

"Well, would you like to wear a dress then and be my assistant?" Harry asked jokingly. The beta gave a deep laugh at that and Houdini was able to forget, at least for now, about a certain alpha that made his body feel things it hadn't before.

Doyle felt like an ass. No, he knew he was well and truly one. Touie would be ashamed of him for being so hostile to an omega. It plagued him the entire night to where he couldn't get any sleep. He deserved that though, and all he could think about was the male omega. His beautiful body that fitted so well to his. Doyle couldn't believe that the lower half of his body began to respond to his thoughts.

How was it that after three months of not giving any omega the time of day, hating the whole world because his beloved mate was gone, that he started falling for an omega he met by sheer coincidence.

The next day, Doyle was sure that once he was back to his daily schedule then he'd completely forget about the omega and be able to move on.

What were three days anyway? That wasn't enough time to truly have feelings for someone.

After seeing his two children off for school, and sitting in his study, trying to get up the motivation to write, he decided to look at the newspaper his housekeeper brought in with tea.

An interesting headline stretched across the front with big black ink.

Ghost suspected of murder in a convent.

This was an interesting case that Constable Stratton would no doubt love to investigate. It held some interest to him as well. A ghost suspected of murder. He loved to contemplate and search for the possibility of an afterlife and ways to communicate with the dead. If it was truly possible, then that meant that there was still a way to stay connected with his wife.

With these thoughts, he got up from his desk and went to grab his overcoat from the coat rack. He grabbed at air and he turned to see that his favorite overcoat was not there. Doyle had forgotten he had taken it off the night before and put it on the naked omega.

Damn! And there the omega was, still invading his thoughts.

Forgetting the overcoat, he set his hat on top of his head and set out for Scotland Yard.

Doyle arrived there with the usual greeting he got from the other constables. Merring's second in command, his detective, was in his office, no doubt discussing the case.

The author made his way over to the female alpha who was at her desk, typing away.

"Hello there," he said in a way of a greeting, sitting in the chair next to her desk.

"Doyle!" Adelaide looked up in surprise, "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Well, you basically called me when I saw this," Doyle said, holding up the newspaper he had brought with him. He took off his hat and balanced it on one thigh.

"Don't hold that up too high. Merring isn't too happy about any of this. A ghost suspected of murder. He thinks someone is trying to pull one over on him."

"That wouldn't be too complicated." Doyle smiled good-humoredly.

"Doyle! What the bloody hell brings you here." growled the chief from his office.

"It seems that I am being summoned," Doyle grunted as he got to his feet and tugged lightly at the ends of his clothes to straighten them out before heading into the older man's office.

Merring was a hot-headed alpha who didn't mind throwing his power around, intimidating others in his wake.

He, however, had met his match when Doyle came along. With the Superintendent in Scotland Yard a fan of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle had gotten the privilege to play consultant. Not only for his research but also afterward, bringing insight to the cases. Doyle had stood up for Stratton, getting her out of the back rooms and onto the main floor. Though Adelaide was an alpha, she was a woman and Merring reminded her constantly of her failing in not being a man and that she should know her place. Which, he thought wasn't on the police force.

With Doyle's help, she was able to prove herself and became more daring, her alpha instincts beginning to show themselves after being suppressed for so long.

Doyle sat down in one of the two chairs in the office, the scowling alpha on the other side not bothering Doyle in the least.

It was only when footsteps were heard coming their way and a familiar scent filled his nostrils, that the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

"Did you seriously let someone print this?" came the incredulous voice of one Harry Houdini.

He too had his copy of the day's newspaper and was waving it in the air.

Merring let out a low growl which normally sent omegas scrambling away, but Houdini didn't flinch.

He glanced down and saw Doyle seated in the chair across from the police chief.

"What's Doyle doing here?"

"Harry," the alpha said in a way of greeting, though he sounded a little annoyed. His fingers were interlaced, and his elbows were propped on the armrest of the chair.

"Please tell me you're just here doing research for another one of your Shimlock Holmes books." the omega sneered.

Doyle bristled at first, ready to tell the younger man off, but then he remembered how he had treated Harry poorly and that whatever barb the omega wanted to throw his way was deserved.

"It's good to see you too." he managed, though his presence was doing strange things to his heart and lower region.

"I love how all you Brits lie in the name of politeness." Harry snorted.

Well, Harry had definitely not forgiven him. Then again, Doyle hadn't apologized yet.

Dammit, why did he have to show up so soon? And why the devil was he here in the first place?

Merring, while they were talking, and seeing their quips to one another, had been smelling the air. He no doubt had caught the scent of Harry just coming out of his heat. There was an almost predatory look he gave the unbonded omega which Doyle did not like.

Houdini, whether he could sense it too and was ignoring it, or was just completely unaware that he was being checked out, continued on that there was no ghost behind the killing and that he could prove it.

Doyle knew that it was most likely a human, but a small hope held out for supernatural.

"Well then, Mr. Houdini. Mr. Doyle is already working with Stratton on the case, but I can let you investigate here with my detective-"

"I don't see why it can't be supernatural." Doyle found himself interrupting the chief.

Houdini's attention from the chief to Doyle changed in an instant and the author could see the playful spark in the omega's eyes.

"A hundred thousand American dollars it isn't!" Harry challenged.

"Well, if this is a competition, it would only be fair that there is no cheating with either of us getting ahead. Stratton can make sure that happens." Doyle turned back to Merring with a challenging look of his own towards the other alpha, "I'm sure there won't be any need for bothering your detective, Merring, with our little game. We can handle quite well on our own."

With that, he stood up and walked out of the room, an all but bouncing omega at his heels asking what Doyle was offering on his end.

"If you win, you can keep my overcoat." Doyle finally said, stopping so he could look at Harry.

He definitely looked better. Just like the energetic and happy omega, he saw on the stage.

Houdini placed his hands on his hips and pushed out his chest, a domineering move that didn't quite work for the young omega, but it was extremely adorable to Doyle.

"I already have it though. Why would I give it back?"

"Because I lent it to you because of you-" Doyle stopped himself from saying any more in a public setting. He didn't want to think of that scene. A picture of a naked omega, in their heat, throwing themselves-and he was an ass. "I don't really need any American dollars at the moment, so why don't we bet for my overcoat. Whoever wins, gets to have it."

Though Doyle set himself up for failure. Proving the supernatural exist was something he only thought about doing when he had been drinking and thinking about his wife. Now he'd have to try to prove a ghost, which he was positive there wasn't any, had killed this nun.

"Deal." Harry stuck out his hand to shake on it.

It was almost like a shock ran through them and Doyle did his best to shake it off and introduce Harry to Adelaide.

"You were from the show," Harry said with a smile and turned up his charm levels. "I didn't know you were a cop."

"One of the great wonders of the century, Mr. Houdini." Adelaide smiled.

Doyle rolled his eyes at the omega's behavior, sensing deja vu.

He wasn't going to start getting jealous that the omega was giving the woman his time, and only poking fun at himself. Doyle wasn't the type to get wounded that easily.


	5. Chapter 5

The case continued to shed more surprises as it became the scene of a double murder. All of the girls who worked in the laundry business there, were certain it was the dead girl, come back for revenge.

Harry's initial unease at seeing a bunch of young omega girls staring back at him, lingered after they had passed through that area. Their eyes seemed to follow his movements the most, a few were warily thrown at the alphas. Constable Adelaide was too busy focusing on the nun's tale of the events while Doyle was completely ignoring the omegas. However, from the scrunched-up nose, Houdini deduced that the alpha had sensed something.

Harry could too, slightly. One of the girls was about to enter their heat in a couple of days. Looking around, he caught the eyes of a girl looking longingly at the male alpha, as if she would pounce on him at any moment.

This made Harry frown, not liking that another omega was eyeing his alpha. Well...not technically his alpha, but he could still not appreciate the attention as a concerned friend.

To be working on a case with Doyle, he was partly thrilled, but at the same time, he was here to prove a point. A couple if he was honest with himself.

First, that there was no such thing as the supernatural and that Doyle was an idiot if he actually believed in that crap that psychics tried to throw at people. The second was that he was going to show the alpha that he wasn't just some weak omega. True, Harry had been caught off guard by his heat hitting him sooner than he thought it would start. Something that he was mortified about, but he wasn't just an average omega. He was the Great Harry Houdini, and he had alphas wanting to be with him, not the other way around. He will have Doyle regret what he had said, and prove to him that he was wrong.

When the case was coming to an end, Houdini ready to crack the case about there being no real ghost, he was quickly shut down by the alpha.

"Do you know who the killer is?" asked Doyle, walking quickly, forcing Harry to jog to keep up with his longer gait.

"No, but-"

"Then my epiphany beats yours." Doyle bragged. Not willing to say more until they found Sister Grace.

Harry was impressed at the discovery of the killer's identity but was able to catch up and add a few ideas of why she did what she had.

While listening to her tell her side of things, Harry couldn't help smell the musky aroma of the alpha who was throwing off a powerful scent after his great detective work. This was, unfortunately, enough of a distraction that the sister was able to limp away.

Houdini shook himself from out of his musings and ran after her, Doyle slightly ahead.

Somehow, she had snuck into the tunnels, limping faster than they thought she could. It was dark and Doyle had slowed down. The smaller space of the tunnel made it easier to catch the alpha's scent as they were right beside each other.

The ground suddenly gave way and they fell into the water. It went up to their heads. Well, to Doyle's head. Houdini had to doggie paddle to keep his head above the water. Sister Grace shut the cage door over their heads and locked them inside.

The two men called after her, but she only ran away.

Doyle gave a relieved sigh when he finally got a match to stay lit. Houdini did his best to work with what little light they had to pick the lock.

Unfortunately, he didn't have anything to easily pick it.

Doyle's sarcastic comment on them dying in a watery grave, mostly Houdini, was met with a barbed comment from the omega.

"What would I give to have a paperclip right about now," Harry grunted as he sighed in frustration. He looked to the alpha who had stopped talking, his head tilted back to keep the water from going up his nose.

"Are you wearing a fixed collar?" Harry asked, squinting in the dark to see. He swam over to Doyle and began wrestling with his tie.

"What are you doing?!" the alpha asked, sputtering as Houdini caused water to splash on his face.

"Yes! Stays! You have collar stays!" Harry pulled one out and swam back over to the lock, "We're not dying today."

The water was rushing in faster and the match died. Doyle lit another after several more tries.

Harry cursed when he lost his grip on the stays and it fell into the water with a plop.

"I need your other collar stays! Give it to me." Harry shouted urgently. Doyle was barely above the water now as Harry ran his hand over the alpha, pushing him under the water in his hurry. Doyle didn't resurface as Harry again went to pick the lock. It was only looking back that he saw that the other man was still under the water.

"Doc?"

He dove under the water's surface, trying to lift the man up, but with the water already almost filling their space, there wouldn't be a place for them to get back up.

Just then the cage floor opened and Harry came up gasping. Doyle a second behind him.

Doyle was irritated after his near death, not even tolerating the small talk Adelaide was giving him about Sister Grace.

Her arrest, after her attempt to commit suicide, was something everyone was grateful it was over.

Harry felt a little smug that he had won the bet, though he knew the alpha didn't stand a chance, with it being so obvious that it wasn't a ghost... once the abnormal sightings were explained.

It also meant that he would be keeping the overcoat.

"No worries," Harry grinned back at the alpha as he walked away, "I'll let you see it from time to time. Maybe we can do another bet for it sometime."

Doyle shook his head; tired, wet, and a little annoyed. The case of the murders was, of course, the most important part. That he did solve. Trying to prove it was supernatural or not wasn't the important part. Though, it came at the loss of his favorite overcoat.

He decided to go home, ready for a bath and in a need to see his children.

Pleased as a peach, Harry flopped down on his couch, still relishing in the glory of winning one over the alpha. Looking over at the overcoat that was still sitting in the chair he had left it in since before the case, he grinned. It was now his. He had won it off of the alpha!

Jumping off of his couch, he crossed the small distance to pick it up. It was too long in the sleeves for him and a little lower than he usually preferred his overcoats, but that didn't matter.

Holding it close to his face, he could smell the musky scent and he inhaled deeply.

Letting out a satisfied sigh, opening his eyes, not even noticing that he had closed them, he decided to find a place where he wouldn't be afraid of it losing its scent.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I do apologize for being gone for so long. Fear not I have not abandoned this story. Hopefully, if I'm lucky I can post several chapters today.**

Houdini walked cheerfully up the stone steps of Scotland Yard and went inside. He was feeling rather pleased today. Either from the wonderful sleep he got last night with dreams of a certain alpha, or because he was still suffering from victor's high of winning one over said alpha.

True, it was kind of childish at this point, annoying him at the precinct, but Harry would suffer through it in order to spend some time with the man.

Doyle visibly scowled when he entered, and Harry gave a smug grin in response.

"I thought you would've had your fun with the almost triple murder case we solved the other day," Doyle muttered under his breath.

"Correction, that I solved," Harry beamed.

Doyle rose an eyebrow, "I believe it was I who discovered it was the sister who was the murderer. Isn't that correct, Constable Stratton."

Harry tried to not seem affected that Doyle was not acknowledging him on the fact that, on the bet at least, he had won. True he didn't solve the murder, but he did quite spectacularly solve the ghost that was not really there.

Stratton tried to appease them both.

"It was truly a remarkable case where both of you brought incredible deduction skills to help solve the ghost and the murders."

"Still, I don't see why you are back, Houdini. The case is over," Doyle repeated.

Harry bristled at the alpha's words of trying to get rid of him.

"It's true, Harry. The case is over." Stratton smiled at him, getting a sense there was a completely non-related reason as to why the omega had returned. "The doctor and I were going to get lunch after I finished up the reports."

"Shouldn't I be helping? Offering my side of the investigation," Harry frowned at the realization that no one had even bothered to ask or call him in. Doyle was seated with his own pad of papers he was scribbling down on, so they were obviously taking his findings into the record.

Stratton glanced at Doyle uneasily as she looked back at Harry.

"It's not that we don't wish to record your side of the investigation... It's just..."

"The department has never put much weight into the reliability of an omega's testimony," Doyle finished, offering himself up as a punching bag.

Houdini clenched his fist in frustration at the injustice treatment. The idea of staying any longer in the precinct now seemed humiliating.

"Well then, I shall let you get back to work, seeing how I'm not needed here," he murmured.

"Really, that's it? I thought you'd argue for sure," Doyle called after him, "I thought you claimed to be an independent omega who doesn't need an alpha."

Harry couldn't tell if the alpha was teasing him or accusing him, but he turned around. The look of disappointment was not expected, and Harry blinked several times just to make sure he was seeing it correctly.

"Doyle's right. Not a lot of people expected me to make it as a police officer, but I worked hard to prove them wrong and kept trying," Stratton smiled and held up a blank statement report to Harry.

Houdini looked at both alphas and smiled before making his way back over to them. He sat down in the vacant chair and began to write.

The trio set their steps in the direction of a little restaurant nearby for lunch. They walked beside one another, with Houdini talking mostly to Stratton.

Doyle stood on the other side of the other alpha, hands in his pockets and looking out towards the road, trying to not listen to the stories Houdini was relaying to her about his daring tricks. There were times when he almost made a low snort or groan when the stories began to reach unbelievable.

The restaurant was just in sight when someone walking in the opposite direction bumped into Harry apologizing but kept walking.

Harry frowned and turned around.

"Hang on there. I'd like it back," he demanded, talking to the man who had hit him.

"What's wrong, Harry?" asked Adelaide, stopping beside him.

Doyle too had stopped and frowned, he could smell the stench of nervous sweat coming from the man, but he had dismissed it earlier as insignificant.

"My wallet," Harry explained, "I'm sorry, but you chose the wrong person to try and pick their pockets from."

The man looked over the group and between the trio, only found the male alpha to be the biggest threat. That one was hardly paying attention to what was going on either. He sneered.

"I don't know what you're talking about, mate."

Harry's eyebrows knitted together even more in annoyance, "Do you honestly think I didn't feel you going into my pocket and take my wallet? I'm not some shmuck, I'm the Great Houdini, and this woman right here is a police officer and she can have you arrested."

Doyle was now fully turned away from the scene, hiding his smile. He was barely able to refrain the shaking of his laughter as he listened to the pissed off Omega.

"Her?" the man snorted, "She's an officer? Well, then I'm the king of France if that's the case!"

Adelaide glared at the man and pulled out her badge, "I am a police officer, and if you stole this man's wallet then I can have you arrested and Mr. Houdini can press charges if he'd like."

The man cackled, "Well if this isn't a scene, a skirt officer, a self-important omega trying to tell me what to do. You know what I say to that..."

The thief broke into a run down the street, Harry right behind him.

Stratton looked up to Doyle, "I won't be able to keep up in this dress, can you go and make sure nothing happens?"

Arthur sighed and began moving in the direction of the fleeing men, but he was walking, taking his time to the exasperation of Stratton.

"I was hoping for a little more effort from you."

"These streets are a big maze, one I have studied for my books. Don't worry, I'll catch up to them in no time," Doyle waved back at her, dismissing her urgency.

Harry was sure he had the man now, chasing him to an alley that looked to have a dead end. He was out of breath and tired. The thief in front of him stopped at the brick wall in front of him, blocking his path. Turning around, he pulled out a knife and kept it between Harry and himself.

"You really think that you can take me on, Omega, alone?" he scoffed.

Harry stopped, catching his breath and trying to figure out his options.

He was a bit disappointed and worried that Doyle didn't follow him.

Did he not care what happened?

Steeling himself for a fight that he was sure to come, he lifted his fist in the air.

The attack never happened, rather, an alpha had climbed the opposite side of the wall and dropped down behind the thief. Grabbing the wrist that was holding the knife, Doyle twisted it until the hand was against their back between the shoulder blades. The doctor pushed the man into the brick wall, pinning him there.

"You know, this would've been a lot less unpleasant had you simply just returned the wallet," he growled into the man's ear.

"When did you start to care what happened to the skirt's boy toy?"

Doyle pulled the man's arm to where he cried out in pain, dropping the knife.

"You're mistaken to think the omega was with her, and that my appearance of indifference was anything other than personal respect for letting someone stand up for themselves. However, I will not stand by idly while you threaten what falls under my protection," the alpha growled, making the man cower underneath him.

Stratton arrived, and the thief was placed in handcuffs and walked back to Scotland Yard.

Harry got his wallet back and astonished everyone when he didn't press charges.

"You could've saved us the trouble of walking him all the way back here," growled Doyle.

"Yes, but you seemed to be content in taking charge of the situation that I didn't want to take that away from you," Harry grinned.

Doyle shook his head and walked away. Houdini knew he was playing a dangerous game, especially if he wanted the doctor's good opinion and him in general.

"Doc," he called out to the retreating man. Doyle stopped and turned around, "Thanks."

Doyle nodded before walking out the building.

Stratton came back to her desk where Harry still stood. She had just returned from releasing the thief.

Watching the omega's eyes follow the alpha out the building, she wondered why he was still there.

"Why don't you go with him?" she suggested.

"Huh?" Harry finally pulled his attention away from where the doctor had just been a few minutes ago.

"Why don't you go and have lunch with Mr. Doyle. I can't leave, my break would be over before my food even arrived at the table. You can keep him company, so he won't be eating alone."

Houdini stuck his hands in his pockets, "Not sure he'd want my company as a replacement for yours."

Adelaide knew Doyle would be pissed at her later for this, but it was for their own good. She saw enough between the two to suspect that there had been something between them during Harry's heat, and Doyle obviously cared, though he wouldn't admit it. The fact that Arthur gave any omega the time of day let alone listen to their opinion was all she needed. Doyle had feelings for Harry, ones that were repressed. The omega was barely subtle about his attraction to the male alpha, following him happily during the past case and always trying to get a reaction out of him. This was why she decided to do this, though she was suspecting a conversation with the doctor later on because of her interference.

"The truth is, I'm worried that Mr. Doyle would skip eating. He will sometimes skip meals and I don't want him to get sick because of it."

It was almost too adorable how easily Harry fell for the ruse, suspecting Doyle needed help.

"Sure, I can do that if that's the case." With a grin and a wave, he was gone.

Now everything was left up to the guys. Hopefully, Arthur would stop to consider his own happiness for once and give their relationship a chance.


	7. Chapter 7

Doyle was making his way again to the restaurant, planning on eating the briefest of meals before buying something to bring back for constable Stratton. He hadn't walked far before he heard someone coming up behind him. There was no need to turn to look and see who it was. He already knew.

It was as if the omega was doing this to him on purpose for his slight. Coming to a stop, he waited until Houdini reached him before turning on his heels to face the younger man.

"Are you following me because you're waiting for an apology? Is that it? Well then, I'm sorry for not staying and attending you and that your little omega feelings were hurt. If it honestly affected you so much, why didn't you go find some other alpha's bed to climb into? Why hang around me? I honestly couldn't have made that good of an impression seeing how I left you three times," Doyle said in a low voice.

At first, the alpha's words stung, and Houdini was about to fire back at him. What kind of an apology was this? Then the man started throwing out questions, ones Harry was a bit embarrassed to answer out in public.

It was true, Doyle did walk out on him three times during Harry's heat, and each time Harry was devastated and pinning the loss of his alpha. He knew though that it was selfish of him to keep the man to himself when he had another life and children waiting for him to return home. His body would automatically now respond to the doctor, whether he liked it or not. He craved the moments he had with him and found that he was beginning to touch himself while visualizing the doctor in his head. At night he'd wake up from hot wet dreams and moan Doyle's name in want.

Harry looked away to hide his blush. This wasn't him! He was the Great Harry Houdini! The male omega who didn't need an alpha to be happy. He had everything he wanted... he at least thought that when his mother was with him. It was still partially the case until he met the doctor.

"Honestly, I don't know what I hoped to accomplish by following you around with officer Stratton. To prove myself to you that I'm not some average omega who was a one-time thing. That what we had I really want more than anything else," Harry stuck his hands self-consciously in his pockets, "I know you have a family, and that there is probably no room in your life, or in heart, for me," he finally looked up at the alpha pleadingly, "but can't you at least let me try to prove you wrong and show you that what we have is worth exploring too?"

Doyle studied the young omega closely and could smell the nervous uncertainty coming off him.

"What happened to you wanting to be an unbonded omega who called all the shots in the relationship?"

Houdini knew that he was about to give up his freedom to this man if he would take him, this frightened him a little, but he knew he wanted this.

"I find that my desire to be with you is a little more important to lose."

Doyle stood there, weighing his options all the while watching the young omega who waited anxiously for his response. It wasn't normal for an omega to initiate something so significant as a request for a bond without being under the persuasion of being in heat. Harry was in his right mind...or at least as far as Doyle could detect.

Instead of answering he turned around and began walking, "I'm hungry."

Harry just stood there in confused shock. Was this a dismissal of his request? After he made himself completely vulnerable to the man. It was humiliating!

He could just imagine the papers getting ahold of a juicy story like this.

The Great Escapist finally wants to put himself in an unbinding bond only to be rejected!

The Great Houdini, the elusive unbonded omega has surrendered himself to the Creator of the Great Detective: Did he deduce his feelings all along?

"You coming, Harry?" asked Doyle over his shoulder.

Houdini snapped himself out of his musings and jogged to catch up with the older man. Looking up to see if he could catch the man's expression on his face, he saw a slight smile.

Harry felt his heart skip. Maybe him not saying anything didn't mean 'no' after all.

Instead of being able to relax with this knowledge, he became more excited.

Doyle silently observed the man beside him as the omega grew excited with every passing minute. It was hard not to feel the effects of it. It was infectious, and suddenly he had the desire to pull the younger man into an alley and take him there on the street.

Controlling himself, they made it to the restaurant without incident.

There was an agreement, that Doyle would give their relationship a try, but with the condition that it remain a secret. Not only for Harry's reputation but for Doyle's children. Houdini wasn't sure how they would go about it, but he accepted it. Once or... if they bonded, it would soon become public knowledge that there was someone in the escape artist's life. After that it would be touch and go, to keep Doyle's identity a secret.

Houdini walked into Scotland Yard two days later to see both Doyle and Stratton preparing to leave. The smile he had walked in with disappeared and he became serious, "What's happened? Another murder? A supposed ghost?"

"An abduction," Stratton explained, "Happened in a small town called Nethermoor. Witness says it was aliens. Merring is sending us."

Harry looked at the pair of them, "And by 'us' you mean Doyle and you while I stay behind."

"Don't you have shows to do instead? I had figured you'd be busy," Doyle spoke up.

"Seriously? Is that the reason, or is it something else entirely because you know I can move show dates."

"Merring suggested you stay behind," Adelaide explained, "For your safety, Harry. He can't ensure your safety out there."

"Nor could he here on the London streets. However, he's okay with sending a female officer and a guy who isn't a cop to go investigate," Harry growled in irritation, puffing up his chest.

Doyle sighed, knowing leaving Houdini behind was now impossible. The whole case reeked of danger and prejudices, and he didn't want Harry to get mixed up in them.

"If you want to go then it seems like neither of us will stop you," he finally said.

Harry perked up with seeming to have won his point.

The train ride to Nethermoor was uneventful. Harry waited until after Adelaide left their little compartment to switch seats to sit next to Doyle and reach up to wrap his hand around his neck to pull him closer. The kiss lasts a few seconds before Doyle pulled the omega away.

"What's happening right now? You can't be going into heat. It ended only a week ago," Doyle frowned in confusion.

"Can't I want to receive attention from my alpha?" Harry asked coyly.

The doctor rolled his eyes and shifted away, pulling out a newspaper to read.

"Is that why you came along; for attention? Afraid I'd give it to someone else and neglect you."

Houdini propped his chin up with his hand, balancing his arm on the narrow ledge by the door, "I'm feeling pretty neglected right now."

"Well, what do you expect from me, Harry? To just use every moment we're alone to..." Doyle stopped himself and returned his attention to the newspaper.

Frowning, Houdini poked at the back of the paper three times before Doyle lowered it again.

"All I'm asking is that you at least try to reciprocate and not act so cold. Is that too much?"

"You're here aren't you?" Doyle said, as if that was explanation enough, "I didn't want you to come, that's why I told Constable Stratton not to contact you, but since you showed up anyway and demanded to join, I agreed."

"Why didn't you want me to come?"

"For the exact reasons Merring gave, it's not safe."

"We chase after murders and nearly drowned in our first case. Hell, I do shows that aren't safe all the time. That's hardly a good excuse-"

"Because I don't want anything to happen to you, you idiot. There, satisfied?"

Harry dipped his head in a blush before remembering that he needed to remind his alpha that he was capable of taking care of himself, "I'll be fine, doc. If it makes you feel better, I promise not to do anything foolish."

The sound of Stratton returning had Houdini move back to his seat and look as if he was interested in his fingernails while Doyle went back to his paper.

Adelaide wasn't going to ruin their charade by stating that she knew what was going on. All she cared about was their happiness, and at the current moment, she wasn't sure that either was much happy.

"Did I miss something?"

"Talking about the Cricket," Doyle threw out.

She looked over to Houdini who tried to remain nonchalant.

"Didn't know you were interested in the sport."

"Yeah well, it was mostly a one-sided conversation," he murmured before giving his attention to the passing scenery outside their window.

The people of Nethermoor were gathered outside the jail with an exasperated constable keeping them from breaking inside. They shouted derogatory words and demanded access to the prisoner.

Harry, to Doyle's continued vexation, spoke up to the crowd, gaining their attention.

A lot of the men standing in the crowd were alphas, a few betas in the mix. Doyle stood protectively beside Houdini as the other alphas sized up the unbonded omega with hungry eyes.

The crowd dispersed luckily, and they went inside to speak to the prisoner/witness.

The black man was a beta whose wife was one of the alphas in town's niece. Apparently, he wasn't considered good enough for the omega woman, being black and an average beta. This frustrated Harry, who suddenly began to take the man's side of the situation. Though the possibility of aliens had drawn Doyle out here in the first place, he was now convinced that that was not the case after examining the beta. The man had a sick smell to him and though it was harmless, the doctor didn't like having Harry exposed to it for so long.

After hearing the story from the woman outside of town and then heading out to do a scan of the area where it occurred, the trio decided it was time to eat something before going to bed. As they waited for their keys to their rooms, Doyle watched the rest of the room openly stare at their table.

The owner of the place came back with only two keys, saying only two rooms were available. Adelaide just picked up one of the keys, claiming a room to herself, leaving the men to share.

As they were about to get ready to turn in for the night, an alpha approached them, drunk and angry, spewing insults towards them and the beta.

Harry bristled at the offense and actually called the man out for a fight. The guy's friends goaded him to throw a punch.

Houdini stood there, not bothering to dodge the blow that came straight for his face. Doyle was on his feet in an instant giving a low growl of anger. Stratton too was on her feet in anger. Harry put his hand up, holding his friends back, wanting to fight his own battle.

Sniffing and turning back to his opponent, he leveled him a glare.

"My turn," he said before throwing the first punch and then another. He dodges the man's attack and began to repeatedly hit the man's abdomen and face until the man was unconscious on the floor. Harry was still going at it. Doyle pulled the omega up off the man and kept himself between the rest of the room and the young man.

Harry had too much energy after the fight, doing push-ups in front of the bed while Doyle watched.

"Do you want to talk about what just happened back there?" asked Doyle patiently.

"Nope," came the breathless quick reply.

"Seems like you weren't just fighting that man because he called you a loose omega or that you were a jew."

Harry got up to his feet, sweat lightly glistening his exposed back, "What would you have me say, Doyle? Yeah, he set me off and beat him up for it, but he threw the first punch and what I did could be considered self-defense. Merring said he was worried about me going cause of my safety. I think I proved tonight that I can protect myself, even from drunken alphas."

Doyle allowed Harry to speak, not interrupting him as the omega walked around the room, cleaning the sweat that had accumulated during his quick exercise before putting on his shirt.

"Well if there is anything you'd like to talk about, I'm here, Harry."

Houdini paused where he stood to turn off the overhead lamp. He gave a weak smile in thanks before turning it off and climbing into bed beside Doyle.

Long arms wrapped around the young omega and Harry inhaled happily the husky smell of the alpha who was holding him.

He fisted the nightshirt the older man was wearing, wishing he could rip it off so he could run his hands over the doctor's bare chest.

Their lips met and Houdini moaned in pleasure, sitting up to straddle the alpha while he was on his back.

"Harry, though I admire your enthusiasm and energy, we do have an early and possibly long day ahead of us tomorrow," Doyle said, breaking the kiss.

Houdini threw his head back and groaned up at the ceiling before rolling off to the side.

"Seriously you love to kill a moment don't you."

"And you, my friend, love to seize the moment at every opportunity," Arthur rolled his eyes and reached for his smoking pipe.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Houdini stopped him, "If I can't get any, you can't smoke in here."

"Is that how it's going to be?"

"I believe it is," Harry rolled over.

Doyle rolled his eyes and pushed himself out of bed to go outside to smoke his pipe.

He stood outside, enjoying the crisp fresh air when out of the corner of his eye he saw something moving on the bridge up yonder. Taking his pipe out of his mouth, he frowned and moved in that direction. He didn't get a good look at it before because it was so dark, and he wished that he had brought out a candle, so he could see.

Squinting in the dark, there was nothing on the bridge or on either side. After a couple minutes, he figured it was just a wild animal dashing through the forest. It was at that moment when he turned to go back that he saw it. His eyes grew big in fear as pale creatures with sunken in eyes dressed in rags moved towards him with their arms stretched out.


End file.
